Prostate cancer -- tips to help you lower your level of risk

If you are a man above the age of 65 and have lately been suffering from a frequent need to urinate, especially at night, a weak or interrupted urinary stream and blood in urine or semen, it's time you took these symptoms seriously. Regarded as the most classic signs of prostate cancer, these symptoms are often overlooked and blamed on old age. Here is why you need to be aware about prostate cancer and what you can do to prevent its onset.

Facts about prostate cancer:

• One new case of prostate cancer occurs every 2.5 minutes, and a man dies from prostate cancer every 17 minutes.
• A non-smoking man is more likely to get prostate cancer than lung, bronchus, colon, rectal, bladder, lymphoma, melanoma, oral and kidney cancers combined.
• Because prostate cancer is a relatively slow-growing cancer, the 5-year survival rate for prostate cancer survivours at all stages is 98%. The relative 10-year survival rate is 84% and the 15-year survival rate is 56%.
• In the West, where a number of celebrities and high profile people have spoken publicly about the disease, awareness has steadily risen. Hollywood stalwarts Robert De Niro and Michael Douglas have undergone treatment for prostate cancer, so have South Africa's iconic former President Nelson Mandela and former US Secretary of State Colin Powell.
• Age, genetic predispositions and diet all seem to have a direct correlation with the risk of prostate cancer. Some studies have also indicated that men with sexually transmitted diseases too, have a higher chance of getting afflicted with prostate cancer.
• Of the 7.6 million deaths due to cancer worldwide, one-sixth are caused by prostate cancer which is also today the second most frequently diagnosed cancer type after lung cancer.

• In India the awareness about the disease still remains low.

According to Dr Amitav Mukherjee of RG Stone Hospital, 70 % of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65. It is still unclear why this increase with age occurs for prostate cancer but studies suggest that after 70, most men have some form of prostate cancer, though there may be no outward symptoms.

What is the prostate?

The prostate is an exocrine gland (whose secretions end up outside the body) of the male reproductive system, and exists directly under the bladder. Roughly the size of a walnut, the urethra (the tube carrying urine and semen out of the body) passes through the prostate. Besides producing a fluid that forms part of the semen and protects the sperm, the prostate gland also plays a role in urine control.

Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.

The statistics

Traditionally, the incidence of prostate cancer has been the highest in the United States and Europe and lower in countries of South and East Asia. However, with increase in life expectancy, adoption of newer lifestyles and screening using prostate specific antigen (PSA), the incidence of prostate cancer is on the rise in low and middle income countries like India as well.

Dr Rakesh Roy Thakurpukur says, 'Prostate cancer usually grows slowly and initially remains confined to the prostate gland, where it may not cause serious harm. While some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and may need minimal or no treatment, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly.'

What are the symptoms of the disease?

It is important to note that there are no warning signs of early prostate cancer. Once a tumor causes the prostate gland to swell, or once cancer spreads beyond the prostate, the following symptoms may happen:

• A frequent need to urinate, especially at night
• A weak or interrupted urinary stream
• Blood in urine or semen

Therefore it is essential that a person who notices these symptoms immediately visit a doctor. The important fact here is to tell the doctor about your concern for prostate cancer. He/she will then advice the right course of diagnosis and treatment.

The good news is that prostate cancer is a relatively slow-growing cancer, and the survival rate is high.

How is it diagnosed?

Prostate cancer is most often detected in the early stages with a combination of clinical exam (rectal exam) and Serum PSA (Prostate specific antigen a tumor marker that is useful in this disease).

If your doctor suspects that your have the disease you may need to undergo further confirmatory tests like a biopsy of the prostate. This is a fairly painless procedure done usually by an urologist, and involves taking pieces from the prostate which will be examined under the microscope.

In case the diagnosis is confirmed a MRI scanof the pelvic area may be performed to look at the extent of disease. A chest X ray, ultrasound of the abdomen and bone scan may be ordered in case your doctor suspects that the disease might have spread to other organs as well.

What treatment options you have

The treatment for the disease depends on the extent of the cancer and how far it has spread. In some cases you may need to undergo a surgery (prostatectomy), radiotherapy, hormonal therapy using androgen-depriving drugs.

Dos and don'ts to prevent prostate cancer

Do

• Exercise: Regular exercise and a constant weight go a long way in fighting diseases, especially prostate cancer.
• Eat healthy: Include cereals, fish, green leafy vegetables, and green tea into your diet. They help fight the ill effects of anti oxidants and prevent the onset of the disease.

Don'ts

• Ignore the symptoms: The signs of prostate cancer are very easy to overlook. Don't ignore the symptoms. Get then checked as soon as you notice anything amiss. An early diagnosis is the best way to successful treatment.
• Eat fatty foods: Avoid red meat (as it contains a lot of fat that can lead to prostate cancer) and sugary and starch rich foods (both these components lead to inflammation and can speed up the process of formation of the cancer).

Small changes can go a long way in minimizing your risk factors.

For more articles on cancer, visit our cancer section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.